Overview
The Qara Khitai, or Kara Khitai (simplified Chinese: 哈剌契丹; traditional Chinese: 喀喇契丹; pinyin: Kālā Qìdān or Chinese: 黑契丹; pinyin: Hēi Qìdān; lit. 'Black Khitan'), also known as the Western Liao (Chinese: 西遼; pinyin: Xī Liáo), officially the Great Liao (Chinese: 大遼; pinyin: Dà Liáo), was a dynastic regime based in Central Asia ruled by the Yelü clan of the Khitan people. Being a rump state of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty, Western Liao was culturally Sinicized to a large extent, especially among the elites consisting of Liao refugees. The dynasty was founded by Yelü Dashi (Emperor Dezong), who led the remnants of the Liao dynasty from Manchuria to Central Asia after fleeing from the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty conquest of northern China..
Historical Periods
Kara-Khitans (1126–1138)
1126 CE – 1138 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 376,585 km²
Kara-Khitans (1139–1146)
1139 CE – 1146 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 1,795,136 km²
Kara-Khitans (1147–1151)
1147 CE – 1151 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 2,559,406 km²
Kara-Khitans (1152–1201)
1152 CE – 1201 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 2,503,663 km²
Kara-Khitans (1202–1205)
1202 CE – 1205 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 2,506,810 km²
Kara-Khitans (1206–1209)
1206 CE – 1209 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 2,505,435 km²
Kara-Khitans (1210–1215)
1210 CE – 1215 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 2,050,772 km²
Kara-Khitans (1216–1219)
1216 CE – 1219 CE
Capital: BalasagunArea: 1,696,299 km²